Christia V. Adair was born in Victoria, Texas in 1893. She attended Sam Houston College in Austin and Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College (now Prairie View A&M) where she received her teaching certificate in 1914. Mrs. Adair worked as...

Mrs. Betty Lou Bayless was a fixture in the many volunteer and charitable organizations of Houston. In this interview, Bayless describes her time as the President of the Junior League, Board Trustee of the Houston Ballet Foundation, Founding...

Born in Houston, Texas, and graduating from the University of Texas in Marketing and Business, Alan Becker started his career in Life insurance. In this interview, he discusses the rapid growth and development of Houston in the 1950s, and the...

Thelma Scott Bryant, a centenarian from Houston, talks about her life as an African American growing up at the beginning of the 20th century. She describes the black community where she grew up; the churches, schools, theaters and businesses; and...

C. Lee Caldwell was born in Los Angeles, California, and reared in a small town in Eastern Utah. In 1958, he first came to Houston as a Missionary for the Mormon Church for two years, then returned to Utah for undergraduate studies, and soon after,...

The Black Art Center was established in Fifth Ward as a venue for the African American community of Houston “to express whatever kind of artistic talents they might have.” The organization received grant money from the Menil Foundation, among...

Nina J. Cullinan was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, in 1899. She grew up in Houston and attended Houston public schools. After college, Cullinan followed her family tradition of actively participating in civic life. She was involved in many...